ISLAMABAD: Baloch­istan Chief Mi­­nister Abdul Quddus Bizenjo has ap­­p­ointed a businessman, Muhammad Abdul Qadir, his special adviser to deal with financial and other issues with the centre.

According to a notification issued by the provincial government, Mr Qadir’s appointment will take effect immediately.

Sources close to the chief minister said that the adviser would sit in Islamabad and take up financial and development-oriented matters of the provincial government with the federal government.

The appointment before the annou­ncement of federal budget on April 27 is believed to be a smart move on the part of the provincial government to settle its financial issues with the centre.

The adviser will also help expedite the mega development package announced by the federal government for the province titled Aghaz-i-Huqooq-i-Balochis­tan package.

The package was announced by the PPP government in 2009 to reduce the sense of deprivation among the Balochistan people. However, it has been observed at different levels that the package was being implemented at a slow pace.­

Published in Dawn, April 20th, 2018